RV Miles Podcast

On this episode of the RV Miles podcast, we take a journey down to Texas's Guadalupe Mountains National Park, just a hop, skip and a jump from Carlsbad Caverns. We have some family travel tips to make camping a bit easier, and in the news, stupid criminals, endless showers, and a new company that promises to link RV service records, roadside assistance, travel planning, and more. 

Make sure to join the new RV Miles Facebook Travel Forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/584206491749994/

Resources:

Thor Announces New Partnership to Leverage Digital Services for RVers: http://rvmiles.com/thor-announces-global-partnership-leverage-digital-services-rvers/

New Shower Recycles and Filters Water to Use 90% Less: http://rvmiles.com/new-shower-recycles-purifies-use-90-less-water/

Stress-Free Family Camping: http://ourwanderingfamily.com/stress-free-family-camping/

Guadalupe Mountains National Park: https://www.nps.gov/gumo/index.htm

 

Today on the RV Miles Podcast — a wonderland under the ground in southeastern New Mexico, Carlsbad Caverns. Seventy-foot-tall stalagmites and rooms that could fit three US Capitol Buildings, and even more treasures above the ground. We'll cover what to do, RV camping options and a whole lot more. In the news, 2018 travel trends and a problem brewing for Michigan campgrounds.

Resources: 

Travel Trends for 2018: http://rvmiles.com/2018-travel-trends-outdoor-cultural-culinary-experiences-see-sharp-increase/

Camping May Get More Costly In Michigan: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/02/prweb15194644.htm

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: https://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm

Brantley Lake State Park: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/brantleylakestatepark.html

Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/spd/livingdesertstatepark.html 

On today's jam-packed RV Miles Podcast episode, we cover the surprisingly beautiful Roswell, New Mexico area. Aliens abound - the truth is out there! But really, Roswell is full of off-the-beaten-path natural beauty, and we'll tell you where to find it. We also talk with Chef Hardcore, who writes our RV Epicure column, about cooking in an RV. What gear, gadgets, and ingredients to bring along, and how to ditch the recipe and get creative with your own food. In the news, a cool new Vegas experience, buying national park entry in advance online, and a sad incident at Zion National Park.

News:

Here's an article from space.com with some images of the SpaceX rocket leaving the atmosphere that we saw. No images even do it remotely justice: https://www.space.com/39620-skywatchers-see-spacex-falcon-heavy-third-burn.html

If you missed it last week, here again is the walk-thru tour of our "skoolie": https://youtu.be/_fTwZ9_BPO4

Here's the feature on us in Round the World Families (look for us under the "Trabue-Epperson Family"): http://rtwfamilies.com/the-big-travel-questions/how-do-you-educate-your-kids/

The news about Yellowstone's (and more) pre-purchase entrance passes: http://rvmiles.com/yellowstone-now-offering-pre-purchase-digital-entrance-passes/

The cool new immersive projection experience, bringing unrestored signs to life at Vegas's Neon Museum: http://rvmiles.com/neon-museum-las-vegas-launches-immersive-projection-experience-bringing-unrestored-signs-life/

The sad news of the fallen hiker in Zion National Park: http://rvmiles.com/hiker-dies-fall-zion-national-park/

Interview with Chef Hardcore: 

Visit Chef's spice store at hardcoresmokehouse.com

Check out his RVEpicure series at http://rvmiles.com/category/rvepicure/

And Instagram @RVEpicure

Roswell, New Mexico:

Our home for the week - Bottomless Lakes State Park - was more than just RV parking: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/spd/bottomlesslakesstatepark.html

Big D's Downtown Dive gets a full review in our new Road Eats series: http://rvmiles.com/road-eats-inventive-diner-fare-big-ds-downtown-dive-roswell-nm/

The International UFO Museum and Research Center may be over-titled, but it's not over-priced: http://www.roswellufomuseum.com/

And the big hit hidden gem for the week was the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/bitter_lake/

On this episode, join us as we regale our 900-mile+ 3-day journey from Kansas City to Roswell, New Mexico, featuring manhunts, high winds, locked electrical hook-ups, and a whole lot of cows. We'll also chat about our process turning a used school bus into a custom RV, and the costs involved. 

 

Resources:

RV Shipments Break Half-Million Mark for First Time – http://rvmiles.com/rv-shipments-break-half-million-mark-first-time/

A Third of Millenials Prefer Camping Over Hotels – http://rvmiles.com/third-millenials-prefer-camping-hotels/

RVEpicure: Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread – http://rvmiles.com/rvepicure-homemade-chicken-pot-pie-cornbread/

The Journey to New Mexico - Our Wandering Family Blog Post – http://ourwanderingfamily.com/journey-new-mexico/

 

Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TVs, Chromecast...what works best in an RV on the road? We cover it all on this week's RV Miles podcast. Sometimes it's ok to relax and watch a movie or binge a TV show when you're camping, especially when it rains for days straight. We'll tell you what we use, and what our experience are with what types of video entertainment are best for RV travelers.

Resources:

New Mexico State Parks Pass - A great option for afforable camping if you plan to spend a lot of nights in New Mexico over the course of a year: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/spd/feespermits.html 

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com - the mobile internet resource center. An excellent web resource for RV travelers who want to stay connected. 

Today on the RV Miles Podcast, we break down our takeaways from the Mid-America RV show in Kansas City. We'll talk about some additional RV Show tips that we missed on our Episode 24, and break down our favorite 2018 RVs, three perfect for family travel and three for the couple and solo travelers. In the news, Jayco has unveiled their first-ever Class A Diesel Pusher, Gander Outdoors has launched their website with some eye-popping prices, and Ford is bringing back the Ranger, a good option for the owner of the smaller RV trailer. 

Resources

News

The 2019 Jayco Embark Diesel Pusher — Photos & Video: http://rvmiles.com/jayco-embark-class-a-rv/

The New Ford Ranger — Photos & Video: http://rvmiles.com/ford-shows-off-new-ranger-may-perfect-small-rv-towing/

Gander Outdoors' new website wows with low prices: http://rvmiles.com/gander-outdoors-website-launches/

 

Family Travel RV Models

Coachmen Catalina Quad Bunk (293QBCK) Travel Trailer: http://coachmenrv.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=61&Image=745

Heartland Sundance XLT Quad Bunk (297QB) 5th Wheel: https://www.heartlandrvs.com/brands/midprofile/89-xlt-sundance

Coachmen Mirada Bunkhouse (35BH) Motorhome: http://www.coachmenrv.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=48

Video of the Mirada's Salon Bunk: https://www.facebook.com/RVMilesDotCom/videos/406779199757608/

 

Other RV Models

Winnebago Intent Motorhome: https://winnebagoind.com/products/class-a-gas/2018/intent/overview

Redwood 3881ES (Executive Suite): http://redwood-rv.com/model/redwood/RW388/3881ES

Abby in the Redwood's Office: https://www.facebook.com/RVMilesDotCom/videos/406449143123947/

Keystone Montana 3820FK (Front Kitchen) YouTube Walkthrough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMAqTPGMomc&t=17s

 

 

Today we are talking the expected and unexpected costs of purchasing and owning your own RV. A wonderful and potentially economical way to travel, RV ownership is all about the budget and knowing what you're getting into before you step onto a lot or into an RV show. 

We also discuss tips for surviving family travel days, including that one tip we all do, but no one wants to talk about. Plus, there's plenty of RV Miles news this week, including the exciting upcoming launch of a new podcast, a website update and more. Plus, Jason and Abby have the winner of last week's brain teaser and a new one to keep you guessing all weekend. 

—Resources—

News

The RV Miles homepage has gone through a big update so you can find the news you want fast. View it here: http://rvmiles.com/episode24/

The new 2018 30mpg diesel F-150 has been announced, the first full-size truck to hit that efficiency milestone, and we have all the details here: http://rvmiles.com/ford-drops-30mpg-f-150-bombshell-best-class-towing-capacity/

 

The Cost of RV Ownership

Refresh yourself on all the different RV types and their price ranges here: http://rvmiles.com/types-rv-explained/

Check out Abby's article on affordable items we recommend for the RV here on the Our Wandering Family blog: http://ourwanderingfamily.com/our-favorite-inexpensive-rv-items

 

Family Travel Day Survival

Here's Abby's Our article detailing the 7 tips we discuss on the show: http://ourwanderingfamily.com/seven-tips-for-surviving-family-travel-days/

Check out our top podcasts for family road trips here: http://ourwanderingfamily.com/top-podcasts-for-family-road-trips/

We love the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stuff-you-missed-in-history-class/id283605519?mt=2

Our list of great Audiobooks for family travel: http://ourwanderingfamily.com/10-audiobooks-for-family-road-trips/

Get two free audible audiobooks here: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Free-Trial-Digital-Membership/dp/B00NB86OYE/?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1485906643682&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=rvmiles-20&linkId=b6b968b4a0cdc6477bfcc8dcb463e986

Today we're taking an extended journey to Hot Springs National Park, which we touched on briefly way back on Episode 1 of the RV Miles podcast. Hot Springs National Park is a wonderful destination for rest, rejuvenation, history and a bit of architecture gazing. It's definitely not what you'd expect.

We also talk RV shows — what makes them such a great place to shop for RVs or just explore what kind of RV you are looking for. And in the news, we've got more camping world acquisitions, pick-up truck wars, an investigation of Goodyear tire bombs, and the 2018 fuel price outlook. 

Sponsors:

Sponsor: RV Health — RV Health’s online doctors can write prescriptions and even act as your primary care physician. You’ll get a prescription discount for an average of 62% off, plus vision and dental discounts and so much more. While not insurance, RV Health works as a supplement to your current plan or helps provide basic healthcare for those without. It’s only $24 a month for your whole family. Visit rvhealth.com/rvmiles to get your first month for one dollar, no commitment required.

Sponsor: Audible — It’s no secret, our favorite way to pass the time when traveling down the road for short drives or long trips is an Audible audiobook. Audible offers the world's largest selection of digital audiobooks and spoken word content. You can listen anytime and anywhere to professionally-narrated audiobooks across a wide range of genres. Audible is giving RV Miles listeners 2 free audio books to start — after 30 days, get 1 book each month for $14.95/month, plus 30% off the price of additional audiobook purchases. You can cancel anytime, and your books are yours to keep forever. Visit rvmiles.com/audible to get your two free audiobooks.

News:

• Gas Buddy says 2018 fuel prices are on track to be highest since 2014, visit our RV Miles article for more info. 
• Pick-up wars are coming, this may be an excellent year to buy a new truck. Read about it at pickuptrucks.com.
• Regulators are investigating Goodyear motorhome tire failures, according to MSN Money. 
• Camping World has agreed to purchase outdoor outfitter chain Erehwon.

Visiting an RV Show:

Heres the link to our RV Miles schedule of all the upcoming RV shows across the country, state by state: rvmiles.com/upcoming-rv-shows

And we hope we'll run into you next weekend at the Mid-America RV Show in Kansas City.

Hot Springs National Park:

Hot Springs is probably the closest national park to a very large section of the country. It resembles a historic site a bit more than your traditional national park, but we think there a plenty of reasons it deserves the name. 

Visit the National Park Service's website to get started planning your journey, and find out about the historic Fordyce Bathhouse, which is the NPS visitor's center, and the trails and scenic drives nearby. 

The Buckstaff Bathhouse is the place to get the historic spa treatment, and the Quapaw Baths & Spa is the place to go to get a modern spa treatment or to just soak in pools of hot spring water for $20. 

We stayed at the Treasure Isle RV Park, which is a nice clean campground with lakefront sites, a pool, decent WIFI, and free cable for a fair price. They have a discount for Passport America members on weekdays. 

 

 

 

After a news item on a massive RAM truck recall, this abbreviated episode is focused on our wishes for the RV industry in 2018. More campgrounds, societal acceptance of full-time RV travelers, and more fill our wish list for the RV lifestyle. Happy New Year from the RV Miles family!

Resources:

RAM Truck Gearshift Recall - RV Miles article

Today we travel back in time to Episode 1 and expand on one of our favorite spots in the beautiful state of Arkansas – The Buffalo National River. We'll also talk about all the rules and tricks for parking an RV at a Walmart, Cracker Barrel, rest area, truck stop, and other overnight parking opportunities. In the news, the state of Nevada is full of new opportunities for 2018, including 2 new state parks. 

Resources

New Experiences Make Nevada a Top 2018 Destination

Good Neighbor Policy for Overnight Parking

Buffalo National River (U.S. National Park Service)

Dirst Canoe Rentals